Testimonials

Claudia Chan, Vancouver BC

British Columbia to Quebec

My Explore and Langues et Travail experiences in Trois-Pistoles, Quebec, marked a very significant period of academic and personal development for me. I became very smitten with this quaint little town of 4,000 people located on the St. Lawrence River. In five weeks, I grew strongly attached to my very hospitable host family and my counterparts from all across the country. This program allowed me to gain a better sense of identity and my role within the Canadian mosaic. Suddenly, this great, big nation became very small and personable.

Through Explore, I learned not only a new language and culture, but also about environmental issues and becoming more active in citizenship. My experience as an Explore student quickly led me to undertake a series of cultural youth programs in the following years. Back in Vancouver, I became a language assistant running the Explore program for francophone students who were learning English in my hometown. After that, I returned to Quebec to become a monitor for the Odyssey program, where I taught English in the classroom to high-school students in Beauport. Now, I will soon be graduating from university and I hope to continue pursuing my passion for Canadian youth programs in the future.

For me, Explore was not only five weeks of adventure and fun, but also a starting point for many more opportunities to come! Go explore Canada!